Your kid's first circuit, built together, one wire at a time.

Printable guides for the UNO R3 starter kit you already own. Each mission says which hole every wire goes in, and what to check when the LED stays dark. You read, your kid builds.

Try Mission 1 free See the guides

For ages 8 to 14 with a grown-up. Compatible with Arduino UNO R3 kits.

Mission 1: Light It Up Blinky, the robot puppy from the guides

Every wire has an address

Starter kits come with a box of parts and very little hand-holding. Our guides go hole by hole, like this table, copied straight from Mission 1.

A wiring table for every mission
A picture of the finished circuit, plus a numbered table you can read out loud.
A fix-it box when it doesn't work
Each mission says what to check first. Most problems are one hole off or an LED turned around.
Lab notes for the kid
Predict, draw it, write what happened, hunt the bug. Printable pages for every mission.

From Spark, Mission 1: Light It Up
Step	Part	From	To
1	Red wire	5V on the board	+ rail
2	Black wire	GND on the board	− rail
3	Resistor	+ rail	j10
4	LED: long leg	i10
4	LED: short leg	i11
5	Black wire	j11	− rail

Where to start

Try Mission 1 free. Spark has four more circuits that need no code and no computer, and after it comes Coder, where your kid writes code for circuits built from almost the same parts.

Free

Mission 1, free

The first mission from Spark: light an LED together in about 10 minutes.

No code and no computer setup
Wiring picture, hole-by-hole table, lab notes
Comes with the Start Here setup guide

Get it free

Level 1, no code

Spark

Five circuits with lights, buttons, a knob and a light sensor. The board is just the battery.

Ages 8 to 11 with a grown-up
No computer setup needed
31 pages, 5 missions

$14See inside

Level 2, code

Coder

Make the board say hello, then blink a light, build a traffic light, and teach the board to read a button and the light in the room.

Ages 11 to 14 with a grown-up
Fill-the-gap challenges and bug hunts
44 pages, 6 missions

$16See inside

What does a mission look like?

Real pages from the guides. Read them on a tablet next to the breadboard, or print the lab notes.

Spark, Mission 1 page: parts at a glance, wiring picture and wiring table — **Build it**Parts at a glance, time and difficulty, the wiring picture and the table.

Spark, My Lab Notes page: predict before you plug in, and draw it — **Think about it**Lab notes: predict before you plug in, then draw the circuit.

Coder, Fill the gaps and Bug hunt page for Mission 1 — **Code it (Level 2)**Fill the gaps in the code, then hunt for the planted bugs.

You don't need to know electronics

Your job is to read the steps out loud and help when something doesn't work. Your kid holds the parts and plugs in the wires.

"For grown-ups" boxes explain what's going on in plain words
Sessions of 10 to 30 minutes, one mission at a time
Everything runs on USB power. The 9 V battery stays in the box.

What to say when it doesn't work

"Let's check one wire at a time. What does the table say goes in that hole?"
"Is the LED's long leg on the + side?"
"Mistakes are clues. Let's write this one in the Bug Hunter Log."
"You found it. That's exactly what engineers do."

From the Start Here setup guide

Spark and Coder in one bundle

All 11 missions and 75 pages, for $6 less than buying the two guides separately. Do Spark now and keep Coder for when your builder is ready.

$24~~$30~~ Buy the bundle

Instant PDF download. 14-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. Secure checkout by Polar.

Questions parents ask

Which kit do I need?

Any UNO R3 starter kit that has the parts listed on each guide's page. The ELEGOO UNO R3 Super Starter Kit lists every part we use, and most other UNO R3 starter kits do too. Check your kit's parts list before you buy a guide.

Do we need a computer?

Not for Level 1 Spark: the board is only the power source, so a USB phone charger or a power bank works too. Level 2 Coder needs a Windows, Mac or Linux computer with the free Arduino IDE, which the Start Here guide helps you install. Chromebooks, tablets and phones aren't covered.

What ages is it for?

Spark is written for about 8 to 11, and Coder for about 11 to 14, both with a grown-up nearby. A 10-year-old who reads well can start Coder with more help. A younger builder will need more help reading the wiring tables. An older one will move faster and want the extra challenges.

I don't know anything about electronics. Can I still help?

Yes. The guides are written for you to read out loud, with "For grown-ups" boxes and a fix-it box in every mission. You don't need to understand the circuit before you start; you'll find out together.

Is this an official Arduino product?

No. Grow Up Curious makes independent guides for UNO R3 starter kits (compatible with Arduino). We're not affiliated with Arduino or any kit maker.

Do I print it, or read it on a screen?

Either. The guides are US Letter PDFs that open on any phone, tablet or computer. You can keep the guide on a tablet next to the breadboard and print only the lab notes pages.

What about safety?

Every mission runs on low-voltage USB power. The guides tell you to leave the 9 V battery, its clip and the power supply module in the box. Starter kits contain small parts, so keep them away from younger children and pets, and supervise.

What if it isn't right for us?

Email us within 14 days of your purchase and we'll refund you in full. See the Refund Policy.

Try Mission 1 free

The first mission from Spark, plus Start Here, the setup guide for when your kid is ready for code. We'll email you both.

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